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Faizan
Search engine optimization for the purpose of increasing the location and number of links on a search engine results page, or SERP, requires finesse, perseverance and continual learning. Search engines use constantly changing algorithms to determine the SERP location of websites. Understanding the algorithm and providing what it's looking for is the best way to increase page ranks on a SERP.SEO Factors
In an attempt to continually offer better search results, search engines have crafted ever more complex algorithms. Some SEO specialists -- such as Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko, a training hub for search engine marketing professionals -- think there may be 200 or more factors that Google uses in determining the SERP for a given phrase. Many of those factors have to do with the links coming into a page and those going out from the page. The number of links, the type of links and the quality of the links all affect the final ranking for a site based on keyword searches.
Authority, Trust and Strength
Search engine algorithms look at domains and evaluate them on several levels to provide a rank for authority, trust and strength. The authority is determined by how important a voice in for a topic -- for example, Microsoft is an authority on Windows. Trust is built over time as links are followed by other users and other sites link back in. Strength is an overall picture of the number and quality of the links to and from a page on the Internet. Linking to pages on the same domain, rather than a sub-domain or a different domain altogether, increases the authority of that page, and the authority of the entire domain is inherited by all the pages on that domain.
High SERP Links
Linking to different pages on your domain can help to build your internal link structure, which increases the strength and authority of your domain. Also, by using individual pages on your domain, you may be able to have a SERP result on Google where the sub-pages are listed under your domain. However, the links must be relevant and useful, and not be just gratuitous link baiting. If your link adds value for your readers, they will click on it and increase its authority and trust, which in turn will add value to the SERP for your domain.
Many SERP Links
If you use sub-domains and link between them, you will sacrifice some of the authority and trust gained by linking to the same domain, but you will have the potential for getting more links on the SERP. SEO experts think that search engines limit domain SERP links to two per domain; however, by using a sub-domain, it is possible to have more links on the SERP. For example, instead of having only two links to "domain.com," you could have links to "site.domain.com," "home.domain.com" and "web.domain.com." While not all of the authority from the main domain transfers over to the sub-domains, some of it does if there aren't too many sub-domains -- for example, a blog on the "blogger.com" domain doesn't get the authority of blogger.com, but "windows.microsoft.com" inherits the authority of microsoft.com.
Improving Your Site's SERP Location
If you have enough content to support sub-domains with unique, valuable content, then you can increase the number of SERP results by cross linking your sub-domains. However, if you need to build authority and trust, focus on building the internal link structure on your primary domain with internal links, and promoting incoming and outbound links from and to sites with authority and trust.
Posted in: Google Optimization
